l86 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR, 



and condemn new-born children to lofe 

 their lives, when the moment of their birth 

 has been judged unpropitious* The months 

 of March and April, the laft week of every 

 month, every Wednefday and Friday of the 

 year, are days of profcription ; fo that for 

 nearly one half of the year, the population 

 of Madagafcar is deftroyed in its fource,. 

 The inhuman decree of the ombiafles, how- 

 ever, is not always executed. Fathers more 

 affedionate, and lefs fuperflitious, often caufe 

 thefe unhappy and innocent victims, when 

 publicly abandoned in the forefts, to be 

 privately carried away by fahhful fervants, 

 and avert by facrifices the roalignhy of the 

 liar which prcfided over their birth. 



But let us draw a veil over thefe fcenes 

 of horror, at which human nature revolts* 

 Ought we not, for the honour of humanity, 

 to confign to oblivion fo barbarous and cri- 

 minal a piadice ? Of what irregularities is 



not 



